News

24 Oct 2024

Schroder BSC Social Impact working to secure sustainability impact label

Schroder BSC Social Impact Trust’s results for the 12 month period ended 30 June 2024 show a modest 1.5% NAV return for the period, below the 2.8%  per annum return achieved since launch in December 2020. The share price traded at a 16.7% discount to NAV at the period end, and as of 22 October […]

24 Oct 2024
view of rice paddies terraced on side of a valley

Asset allocation weighs on abrdn Asia Focus returns relative to benchmark

abrdn Asia Focus has published results covering the 12 month period ended 31 July 2024. Over that period, its NAV total return was 7.9% and share price return 8.8%, both well behind the 14.1% return posted by the MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Small cap Index. The trust’s annual dividend was upped very marginally from […]

24 Oct 2024

GCP Infrastructure hints at big disposal in the works

GCP Infrastructure says that at close of business on 30 September 2024, its NAV was 105.22p, down 2.36p from the figure at end June 2024, which is disappointing. However, GCP says it won’t tell us what drove this move as “The company is in active due diligence and negotiations on disposals of material components of […]

24 Oct 2024

QuotedData’s morning briefing 24 October 2024 – ALW, ALF, AEWU, AGR, AERI

In QuotedData’s morning briefing 24 October 2024: Alliance Witan’s investment manager, Willis Towers Watson has completed the transition of assets from Witan Investment Trust to Alliance Witan (ALW). Blackrock Inc. helped to manage the transition and keep the costs to a minimum. While Blackrock was completing the transition of assets, WTW took the opportunity to […]

21 Oct 2024

Good news for Hansa as Ocean Wilsons sells Brazilian business

Ocean Wilsons Holdings Limited says its wholly-owned subsidiary, OW Overseas (Investments) Limited has agreed to sell its 56.47% interest in Wilson Sons S.A. to SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sàrl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA, for R$4.352bn ($768m) or R$17.50 per share. After Brazilian withholding tax, the net proceeds should be about […]

17 Oct 2024

International Public Partnerships backs BeNEX to buy Abellio Germany

International Public Partnerships says that BeNEX, its portfolio company, has successfully completed the acquisition of Abellio’s regional rail operations in Germany. BeNEX will become one of the largest providers of local rail passenger transport in Germany. The trust owns all of BeNEX. BeNEX is an investor in both rolling stock and five train operating companies […]

17 Oct 2024

Another great year for Ashoka India but returns lag benchmark index

Ashoka India Equity has published results for the 12 month period ending 30 June 2024. The trust delivered great absolute returns but actually underperformed over this period, returning 35.5% in NAV terms and 35.9% in share price terms as compared to 37.7% for the MSCI India IMI Index. There is no dividend. The trust’s shares […]

17 Oct 2024

Gulf bows out with another good set of results

Over the 12 months ended 30 June 2024, Gulf Investment Fund generated a NAV return of 10.2%, well-ahead of the 2.6% return on its benchmark (S&P GCC Composite Index). Since the mandate widened from Qatari-focused to Gulf-wide in December 2017, NAV has risen 198.7% (dividend adjusted), as against the 85.3% returns recorded by S&P GCC […]

17 Oct 2024

Castlenau’s Dignity buys Augmentum Fintech’s Farewill

Dignity, the UK’s leading funeral services business is owned by Castlenau (see our interview on 4 October). It is buying Farewill, a company in Augmentum Fintech’s portfolio at a valuation for the entire business of £12.9m. Farewill, founded in 2015 by Dan Garrett (its current CEO) and Tom Rogers, offers a range of later-life products, […]

17 Oct 2024

QuotedData’s morning briefing 17 October 2024 – ORIT

In QuotedData’s morning briefing 17 October 2024: Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust (ORIT) has completed the purchase of a newly constructed 42MW solar farm located close to Dublin, Ireland. Together with the four nearby operational solar farms bought earlier this year, the five-site solar complex now totals 241MW  (the largest solar complex in Ireland) and will […]